The present invention relates in general to monitoring systems for counting entities, whether they are customers in a store, automobiles at a border crossing between countries, or other moving individuals or objects in a variety of environments. In particular, the invention provides a monitor and method for counting entities at a plurality of locations and for correlating the count with a time frame. The data is stored as DIF files for use in a spreadsheet computer program for future analysis. The invention also includes a battery operated, power saving sensor assembly with a sensor which can be programmed for different modes of operation, for example, an active mode where the passage of an individual is registered as a count, or a dwell mode which measures the time individuals remain in a certain area. A single assembly is also connectable to multiple sensors which are individually programmable and positionable at different locations in an environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,034 discloses a system which can count the movement of people at a plurality of locations. Two sensors in series are provided at each location so that the direction of movement is also sensed. This system is used in particular for counting the number of people getting on and off a bus and has no mechanism for correlating the count with a time frame, no circuitry with a power saving feature, no teaching of the storage of data as DIF files and no programming for sensor modes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,410 discloses a method of counting customers near the check out area of a store for the purpose of providing the store manager with information on whether too many or too few check out facilities are being made available. This reference does correlate the customer counting function with store management, but does not store the data as DIF files, or have battery powered sensors with a power saving feature or mode selection techniques for different sensors in the store.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,295 correlates a bank customer count with time during the day and contemplates maintaining these records for long periods of time for statistical analysis. Mechanisms are also provided for measuring the time a customer spends at a teller window. Although a back-up battery is mentioned for the clock/calendar, and a microcomputer is contemplated as the programming and data retrieval mechanism, this reference does not include battery powered sensors with a power saving feature nor programmable sensors, nor the use of DIF files for storing the data.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,243 contemplates the use of a thermal or infrared detector for detecting the presence of an individual, in a system which determines whether an individual is entering an area, leaving an area or waiting in an area. This is used to schedule the operation of an elevator. Aside from the acknowledgement that infrared detectors are used for detecting the presence of people, this reference is missing the salient features of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,951,737 discloses an electromechanical recording device for counting automotive traffic occurring during selected time periods. The recording is made by a pen which draws an analog graph on a disc shaped chart which is rotated by an analog clock. The traffic count is represented by the length of a radial mark written on the chart. This reference does not utilize digital processing means and is thus incapable of direct communication with a digital CPU.